LA PAROLE Newsletter of the Acadian Museum By: Chairman Warren A. Perrin Acadian Heritage and Culture Foundation, Inc.

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1 LA PAROLE Newsletter of e Acadian Museum By: Chairman Warren A. Perrin Acadian Heritage and Culture Foundation, Inc. 203 S. Broadway, Era, Louisiana (337) ; January 5, 2010 You are on e museum s list to receive La Parole. If you know of anyone else who would like to receive it, please forward eir name and address to my secretary Darylin at: darylinb@plddo.com. If you no longer want to receive future issues, please advise at e noted above. By an Act of e Louisiana Legislature, Louisiana officially celebrated Acadian Day on e Friday following Thanksgiving. I am happy to advise at I have been selected by Arcadia Publishing to write a book on e history of e parish: Vermilion Parish. I have one year to gaer e materials and write e book. I would like to locate, scan and include in e book about 250 photographs which have never been published before. All proceeds from e sale of e book will be used to support e Acadian Museum. It would be most appreciated if you would search your records and/or contact friends to locate some interesting photographs which we can include in e book. If you have any photographs, eier make an appointment to bring em to Jean Frigault at e CODOFIL office in Lafayette at 217 West Main St. ( or cell ) and he will scan em or please scan em (Resolution: 300 dpi; Output Size at 8 inches wide (if inside photo); least 12 inches High (if cover); Color Mode: grayscale (8-bit); save as file format TIFF [no compression]) and send to me at perrin@plddo.com along wi some basic background about each photograph, to wit: who, where, why. All persons who contribute materials will be acknowledged in e book. If you have had an opportunity to attend some of our programs, we hope at you have enjoyed em. For ose who have not yet been able to do so, please check our website for upcoming events: As you are aware, e streng of e Acadian 1

2 Museum is built upon e generosity and kindness of e people we serve. We are sending is request wi e hope at you will consider making a tax deductible donation to support our Acadian Museum for e upcoming year. The museum is a 501(c)(3) corporation and we will provide all donors wi proof of e donation for tax deduction purposes. Thank you for your ongoing support. Invitation to all to attend Living Legend induction ceremony: On September 26, e Acadian Museum honored Living Legend Earl Joseph Nickey Picard, on November 7, st Armand Brinkhaus, on November 21 Raymond LaLa Lalonde, on December 5 Dr. May Waggoner. Upcoming inductions are as follows: Marcelle Bienvenue on January 16, 2010, Jules Guidry on February 27, Philip Andrepont on March 13, Brady Broussard on April 10, Gerald Bertinot on May 8, Lester Gauier, Jr. on June 5, Harold Schoeffler on July 17, Bernie David on July 28 (will be in St. Martinville) and Camey Doucet on August 14. The programs begin at 4:00 p.m. at e Museum Café in Era and include a Cajun music jam session beginning at 1:00 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend. For more information, (337) I was interviewed by Gaylon Emerzian, Producer wi Tillium Productions, regarding e John Besh documentary on Louisiana Acadians and how ey adapted eir culture by creating oer foodways an what ey used in France and Acadia. Anyone interested in learning to speak French in a social setting is invited to Le Pique-Nique which is held monly on e second Sunday in Lafayette s Girard Park. Look for e Acadian flag. For more information, call Mike LeBlanc at (337) Congratulations to Allison Bohl and Conni Castille, film makers who won e Best Documentary Short award last mon at e New Orleans Film Festival for eir excellent film Raised on Rice and Gray, a work at explores plate-lunch culture in Acadiana. According to British Columbia s Aboriginal Relations, a children s Mi kmaq choir from a remote reserve in New Foundland, Canada will perform at e 2010 Winter Olympic games in February. Alex Hingant, French engineering student, from France, needs to complete a 10-week training course in his studies. He is looking for a mechanical engineering or naval 2

3 engineering company located in e U. S. where he can improve his English skills. If interested, Alex can be contacted at hingant.alex@gmail.com. Vermilion Caolic student Amanda LeBlanc and VCHS Class of 2009 graduate Lauren Fusilier attended St. Anne s University in Nova Scotia, Canada for a summer French immersion program. Scholarships are available for students to attend next year s excellent program organized by Dr. Jean-Douglas Comeau. These scholarships are open to all Vermilion Parish High School students for e 2010 summer. For more information: (902) ; voltaire1000@hotmail.com. LEH seeks nominations for 2010 Humanities Awards. For information: msartisky@leh.org. On November18, The Center for French and Francophone Studies presented Are Religions Gaining or Losing Their Influence?: A Comparison Between France and e U. S. at e Camelot Club. For more information: rlafaye@tigers.lsu.edu. I recently sent letters in opposition to a wind proposal to locate turbines upon lands which were re-claimed by our Acadian ancestors. Obviously, e construction of ese fixtures will not only destroy e serenity of e land, but destroy relics which remain wiin e ear. We urge everyone to consider writing letters in opposition to is wind proposal project to e following individuals: Honorable Shawn Graham Office of e Premier Centennial Building P. O. Box 6000 Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5H1 Canada Honorable Hédard Albert Minister Place 2000 P. O. Box 6000 Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5H1 Canada Honorable Stuart Jamieson Minister, Tourism and Parks Centennial Building P. O. Box 6000 Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5H1 Canada Lafayette City Parish Councilman Don Bertrand represented Lafayette in Paris at e International Association of Francophone Mayors Convention. Bertrand said: It was good to network and have cultural exchanges and hopefully business exchanges. While ere, he met wi an architect from Senegal who was interested in e UL Beausoleil solar home project which was well-received in Washington, D. C. 3

4 Progress is being made to organize an association of Acadian museums (ALMA - Association Louisianaise des Musée Acadiens). The Broussard family, Trahan family and CAFA held eir joint meeting November 14 in Maurice. The Gazette Beausoleil (Volume 11, Winter 2009) had a wonderful photograph taken by Donald Arceneaux of e Broussards who attended e Congrès Mondial Acadien. Everyone appreciates all of e dedication and work at Donald Arceneaux put in to helping to make e event a success. st On October 21, a meeting of e Vermilion Parish Museum s Association was held on at e Vermilion Parish Tourist Commission office. Representing e Acadian Museum was our new consultant Jean-Robert Frigault. st On November 1, e Four Annual Sou Louisiana Black Pot Festival and Cookoff successfully concluded eir event at Acadian Village. Chere Coen, Louisiana Book News, Daily Advertiser, is doing a promotion for e book Eunice by Alma Brunson Reed and Van Reed. For more information: or by calling (888) Chere also had complementary words for Louisiana Poet Laurent Darrell Bourque s latest book Call and Response: Conversations in Verse. Thanks to e sponsorship of Dr. David Barry, e Pineleaf Boys performed at Vermilionville on November 14. For more information: (337) Oer recent November 7 activities at Vermilionville included a Native-American Culture Day which included demonstrations by Kim Walden of e Chitimacha Nation of Louisiana and a presentation of efforts to preserve eir native language via Rosetta Stone. On November 8, following a mass at St. Peter and Paul, e Scott Twinning Committee sponsored a Tintamare. On November 10, Souern University s Department of Foreign Languages celebrated National French week wi lectures and a recital highlighting Afro-French culture. Radio France International is now available on phones in Lafayette and New Orleans. To get connected, call TV5 Monde is now available on Cox in New Orleans. To order: (504)

5 November 7-8, e Louisiana Swamp Fest was held at e Audubon Zoo in New Orleans featuring Cajun cuisine, crafts, entertainment, children s activities, storytelling and animal encounters. (504) ; Wi e hope at it would have been more culturally sensitive in its portrayal of Cajuns, many were disappointed wi e Cajun characters in The Princess and The Frog, e hand-drawn Disney animation set in Louisiana in Mike Scott of e Times Picayune of New Orleans said: Cajuns would likely be insulted by a trio of Cajun frog giggers, barefoot buffoons all of em. The characters were called dim-witted in a Disney hand-out to children attending e movie. Ray e Cajun firefly lends heart and soul to e film and is a self-sacrificing character, but why was he tooless and flatulent? In an article by William Johnson, Cajun culture spreads internationally ( Daily World, December 21, 2009) I was quoted as saying, The film did a wonderful depiction of e African-American Princess and captured e essence of Zydeco (anks to e contributions of Terrance Simien), but Disney continued e film industry s stereotyping of Cajuns a la Souern Comfort and Waterboy. To view a copy of e article, please visit: Last year e movie industry provided ree ousand jobs in Louisiana and brought in more an 500 million in economic impact to e state. Therefore, we will continue to work wi film makers in e hope at ey will not stereotype any enic minorities. Thanks to e Sunday Advocate (Opinion, December 27, 2009) for e wonderful compliment paid to Dr. Ray P. Auement who was recognized as president emeritus of UL Lafayette. It stated: The UL Board noted Auement s leadership in promoting e study of French culture, for which e Lafayette region is famous. Rarely, if ever, has a university done so much in e realm of preservation of one of America s distinctive heritages. Many anks to James Whipple, Eagle Scout, whose project to power wash and repaint e exterior of e Acadian Museum was so successful. James will be honored at ceremonies at e museum on January 16. The Eunice Depot Museum, 220 S. C.C. Duson Street, hosted e fif in a series of annual 5

6 Cajun jam sessions. Evangeline e Musical in Concert was performed on December 3-5 at e Visual and Performing Arts Center at Episcopal High School, The concerts were a benefit for Playmakers of Baton Rouge. The Food Network announced at an episode of Iron Chef America will be taped at e White House featuring Mario Batali, Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagasse of New Orleans. Pam Bordelon of e Advocate did a wonderful article on e Annual Old Governor s Mansion Gala which had a French Connection eme. Special guest was Olivier Brochenin, French Consul-General to Louisiana. Dr. Ralph Bourgeois received e French Legion of Honor posumously in Veterans Day ceremonies at e National World War II Museum in New Orleans. The medal was received by his son Dr. Richard Bourgeois and his widow, Annie Ducharme Bourgeois. A replica of e Liberty Bell of Philadelphia was donated by Normandie Memoire of France to e National World War II Museum in New Orleans as a token of gratitude to e U. S. for liberating France 65 years ago. On December 13, e city of St. Martinville and e Acadian Memorial joined wi e St. Lucy Festival to offer an educational program on e history of e Acadians rough vignettes from a costumed acting troupe, Theatre Cadien. For more information: (337) Short summary of my trip to Quebec: On November 11, we were hosted very warmly in Montreal by La Federation acadienne du Quebec. Kermit Bouillion and Vera Ann Petley prepared a Cajun-style jambalaya which was served to e members. A souvenir Acadian flag pin from Louisiana was presented to everyone. On Veterans Day, Roger Leger, Paul Arsenault and I visited e tomb of e unknown soldier at e memorial for e veterans of wars in Ottawa. Arsenault laid an Acadian Flag at e monument. I, along wi Vera Ann Petley, were honored to be guests of Dollar Cormier, along wi Vera Ann Petley, on his Saturday morning radio show. Many anks to Judge Anne-Marie Trahan for hosting e wonderful luncheon at Chez Levéqueier restaurant. Guests included Judges Michel Bastarache and Boudreaux. On November 12, 6

7 in Ottawa/Gatineau, we were warmly hosted by l Association acadienne de la Capitale nationale. On November 13, we had a very nice event in Quebec City sponsored by De Association De La Region Du Quebec. The conclusion of e voyage was a delightful Cajun Party on November 14 at Les Iles en Ville a restaurant owned by Ginette Paenchaud, wi Fais Do Do music by Groyan Gumbo. Thanks to everyone for making is trip successful, in particular Paul Arsenault, Roger Leger, Vera-Ann Petley and Acadian historian Stephan Bujold. Photographs of e trip were taken by Kermit Bouillion and some may be seen on our website at acadianmuseum.com. Recently, I had a very enjoyable and successful trip launching my book Une Saga Acadienne in New Brunswick for e Salon du Livre. While in New Brunswick, I had e opportunity to meet wi Paul Surette, Acadian historian, Vanessa Bass, cultural activist to preserve e Tantramar Marsh, Giles LeBlanc, historian, and Mirelle Cyr, Intergovernmental Affairs, New Brunswick government. While in Quebec, I met wi Vincent Leger, Chairman of e Committee to Develop Relations/Liaison wi la Francophonie of e City of Montreal. He is in charge of organizing an economic and cultural event which will take place September/October 2010 commemorating e 475 anniversary of e first European presence in Nor America by e explorer Jacques Cartier (1535). Part of is major historical, economic and cultural event will be to organize a flotilla of ships which will retrace Cartier's route from France to Nor America. The events will culminate wi many activities in Montreal. We work toward having Louisiana present in order to participate in e promotion of economic and cultural affairs. Thanks to everyone for hosting our tour of Quebec. While in Ottawa, I attempted to view e original Royal Proclamation of Queen Elizabe, II signed on December 9, If anyone would like to view e Royal Proclamation, ey should e Department of National Archives at least five days in advance in order to view e historical document. On November 17, LPB premiered e documentary film All Over But to Cry by Jennifer John Block and Jake Springfield concerning e devastating category four hurricane called Audrey which took 750 lives in Louisiana in June,

8 On November 15, e Louisiana Military Hall of Fame and Museum in Abbeville had a traditional grand opening wi e induction of four Medal of Honor recipients. For more information, (337) or go to Elaine Clement announced at e Dictionary of Louisiana French is now available. Book signings were held on December 5 and December 20 at Barnes & Noble, 5705 Johnston Street, Lafayette, LA. For university students studying French at e University of Louisiana at Lafayette, do not forget at e Perrin, Landry, delaunay, Dartez & Ouellet law firm is offering a scholarship which covers part of e fees for e summer immersion program at e Université Sainte- Anne in Church Point, Nova Scotia, Canada. If you are interested in is scholarship, please contact Dr. Barry Ancelet at (337) The Cajun Congress held its second caucus on December 7 at 6:00 p.m. at e Ballroom in Crowley. The purpose was for residents to share ideas and gaer information to plan ways to gain economic and political success. For more information, call Burton Guidry at An audio-visual tribute to honor e late Richard Guidry ( ), teacher, actor, writer, State Department of Foreign Languages Supervisor, Living Legend and life-long activist in e Louisiana French renaissance movement, was presented November 29 at e Acadian Cultural Center in Lafayette. This tribute was to celebrate e life and contributions of is grand Cadien. Information about e Richard Guidry Fund for Louisiana French was to be announced at at time. Established rough Community Foundation of Acadiana, is fund was created to benefit individuals or institutions who wish to enhance or augment e use of e spoken and written forms of e Cajun and Creole language in Louisiana. Mike Conlin and Gary Augustine traveled e Old Jefferson Highway trail from Winnipeg, Canada to New Orleans in a 1985 RV. I spoke to Mike who said ey found many vestiges of French and Acadian culture along e way, including a marker in Louisiana dedicated to e French Acadians. You can visit eir website at jeffersonhighway.com. We will host e group for a presentation at e Acadian Museum at a yet-to-be-announced date. 8

9 On December 4 Le Centre Internationale de Lafayette hosted e Bernard and Francoise Reyniès Farewell Reception. We wish em well on eir retirement in France. Please note at e Société Nationale de L'Acadie now has a new address: 307 rue Amirault, Dieppe, New Brunswick, E1A 1G1. There was a discovery of a journal written by an English soldier during e deportation at surfaced. Around 1925, a judge who was interested in e military found e journal written by a Jeremiah Bancroft and copied it. It was recently found in e Nova Scotia Archives. Bancroft was sent to oversea e Deportation of e Acadians and e event is seen rough his eyes. On December 11 The World Studies Institute of Louisiana hosted a reception at Le Centre International in regard to e launching of e WSIL LIAISON Program. Jonaan Fowler, Grand-Pré archaeologist, recently published e article"a 17 Century Sluice Raises New Questions at Grand-Pré" in "Les Cahiers de la Société historique acadienne". An aboiteau dating back before 1686 was found at Grand-Pré in This artifact raises new questions on e dyking model previously ought by researchers. This article is now on-line on e Les Ami(e)s de Grand-Pré website at Glen Pitre sent is information: Want to download auentic Cajun or Creole stories to your MP3 player? Looking for hard to find DVDs like Belizaire e Cajun or Good for What Ails You? Wi e help of e Louisiana Cultural Economy Foundation, web designer Cherry Cappel, design associate Estelle Fromentin, and media/it manager Jason Buch, ey have revamped eir web site to make it more informative and easier to use. They now take PayPal. Beaucoup pages are mirrored in French. Visit em at o r Pat Mire s 5 Annual Bayou Film Festival will take place from January 29-31, For more information, visit: Partly due to e joi de vie of e Cajun/Creole culture, people in Louisiana responded to a national survey ranking emselves e happiest people in e United States. 9

10 On December 16, I appeared on e LCN TV Network show Accent and discussed Acadian Redemption. Le Centre International de Lafayette is looking for an event coordinator to begin planning a week-long series of events for e Cajun and Acadian cultures to take place in Louisiana in October Duties would include travel in e 22-parishes of e Acadiana area to coordinate governmental and private entities and individuals involvement in e event, researching additional funding sources and preparing grant applications, preparing press releases, working wi e media, publishing newsletters, organizing and maintaining a web site. Candidate must be bilingual, French and English, and will be working wi e Centre International of Lafayette in conjunction wi e Association Louisiane-Acadie, Inc. Resumes must be received before January 15, For more information: Philippe Gustin, (337)

LA PAROLE Newsletter of the Acadian Museum By: Chairman Warren A. Perrin Acadian Heritage and Culture Foundation, Inc.

LA PAROLE Newsletter of the Acadian Museum By: Chairman Warren A. Perrin Acadian Heritage and Culture Foundation, Inc. LA PAROLE Newsletter of e Acadian Museum By: Chairman Warren A. Perrin Acadian Heritage and Culture Foundation, Inc. 203 S. Broadway, Era, Louisiana 70533 (337) 233-5832; 937-5468 www.acadianmuseum.com